GUNUNG · Australia

Saint Mary Peak

Ngarri Mudlanha

Information

Elevation: 1.171 m
Country: Australia (AU)
Location / Range: Flinders Ranges, Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park
Mountain type: The highest peak in South Australia; a rugged rocky ridge on the rim of Wilpena Pound, an ancient oval-shaped basin
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: -31.5039, 138.5511
Difficulty: Hard (Grade 4–5): the Outside Track is steep and rocky with some scramble sections; the Inside Track (circuit) is gentler but much longer
Best Season: March–November; avoid summer (December–February) as temperatures can exceed 40°C
Permits & Rules: No special permit; an Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park entry ticket is required (buy at Wilpena Pound Resort or online). The Adnyamathanha people ask visitors to stop at Tanderra Saddle and not continue to the absolute summit out of respect for their cultural values
Hazards: Extreme summer heat; no water along the trail (carry at least 3–4 liters); rocky and steep terrain; no mobile signal; venomous snakes active especially in the warm months

Description

Saint Mary Peak / Ngarri Mudlanha (1,171 m) is the highest summit in the Flinders Ranges, within Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park in South Australia. This non-volcanic mountain stands on the rim of Wilpena Pound and is important in Adnyamathanha creation stories. The Adnyamathanha ask visitors to avoid climbing the summit; Tanderra Saddle provides a destination that respects this request. Walks start at the Wilpena Visitor Centre complex, with a more direct outside approach and a longer inside alternative. Plan for the open season and check park alerts, including summer closures. The park authority identifies April–October as the most comfortable walking period; weather or pest-control closures can still apply.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Sirkuit Tanderra Saddle: Outside Track–Inside Track

Berat; perjalanan panjang dengan tanjakan batu

18.00 km

Ascend the Outside Track to Tanderra Saddle, then descend the Inside Track via Hills Homestead. Walk My World records an approximately 18 km circuit excluding the summit branch; this is a trip-report estimate, not an official park measurement. Expect a brief scramble before the saddle and a long return. Check park alerts before departure.

Source

Tanderra Saddle via Outside Track (tujuan yang diminta Adnyamathanha)

Berat; tanjakan batu dan scrambling

Follow the outside approach from Wilpena Visitor Centre to Tanderra Saddle and return the same way. Stop at the saddle to respect the Adnyamathanha request. The park guide’s 14.6 km and six-hour figures describe the full summit route and should not be presented as measurements for the shorter saddle walk. Check closures before setting out.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Trip accounts contrast the rocky Outside Track ascent with the longer return along the Inside Track. Fitness, water and return timing are practical concerns. Some sources document past summit visits; for present planning, respect the Adnyamathanha request to stop at Tanderra Saddle and check park closures. Cooinda Camp, still shown on some older maps, has closed.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.